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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25237666">What Karla Doesn't Know</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlipOfAScribe/pseuds/SlipOfAScribe'>SlipOfAScribe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pacific Rim (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, First Meetings, Happy Ending, Karla POV, Letter Days, M/M, Misunderstandings, Pre-Movie: Pacific Rim (2013)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:07:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,761</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25237666</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlipOfAScribe/pseuds/SlipOfAScribe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Karla and Hermann are very close, so she notices a lot about her brother, like when he falls in love. Or when he's been in a fight with the man he's fallen in love with. At least, she thought she knew these things. Attending a conference with Hermann for his first meeting with Newton does not go how she assumes. But Karla also meets someone, so...</p><p>[I'll likely be adding to the fic as I'm inspired, which may change the rating eventually. I'll keep it marked complete because I'm not sure how long it will go on for, but each chapter will end with a complete fic feeling.]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Karla Gottlieb/Vanessa Gottlieb, Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>What Karla Doesn't Know</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/NIXtheWADE">NIXtheWADE</a> for taking my short idea and feeding me this fuller prompt.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hermann is Karla’s favorite sibling. In all honesty, Hermann is Karla’s favorite family member altogether. They’ve been through a lot together, and she feels a kinship with him that she hasn’t built with the others. Mostly, Karla and Hermann understand each other. While Dieterich is the apple of their father’s eye and Bastien is their mother’s favorite, Karla and Hermann toil under certain expectations that both feel they can never live up to. So they often spend hours together, helping with work they have or just venting about their lives under the cold demands of their father.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then the accident happens. Hermann has recently turned sixteen, is about to start his college career, and is hit by a car late one night on a walk. His left leg has been absolutely shattered and he spends over a month in the hospital. After that, he starts to pull away from people even more. He starts to pull away from Karla. She tries her best to stay close, putting up with a lot of pointless arguing and what seems like purposeful jabs meant to drive her away. It will take more than that to make her leave her brother’s side, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually, the arguing diminishes to small spats when they are feeling particularly emotionally vulnerable. Hermann gets himself into college after the setback of the accident, and things return to some semblance of normal for them. That idea of normality means Hermann still hasn’t made friends in college, just like he hadn’t in primary school. But they have each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the letters start a couple years later, Karla knows almost immediately. There is a change in him, in his tone when they speak on the phone or send text messages. He is happy. He is happy in a way she hasn’t seen before, and it warms her to know something is happening for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, who are they?” she asks over the phone on a night she’s gathered enough courage. And has enough drink in her to get her to open up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To whom are you referring?” Hermann fires back. He is in his dormitory putting off the final touches to an end-of-term paper, using a phone call to Karla to distract his mind for a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karla snickers. “Whoever you’re in love with, Hermann Gottlieb.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> in love. That’s for silly fairytales and awful pop music.” She can hear him pacing his room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re attached to someone because you’ve been acting differently, and you sound happy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My studies make me happy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She isn’t buying it. “Come on, just tell me. I’ll find out eventually. We tell each other everything, and you know I won’t tell anyone else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermann sighs heavily and she can just see him shaking his head. “Fine. I’ve started correspondence with a gentleman from America. Well, originally he’s from Berlin, but his family is now located in America, and he’s attending MIT working on a third PhD. He’s a year younger than me, Karla. It’s simply mind-blowing and not entirely possible. I don’t see how he has the time to actually write me when he’s juggling so many projects.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karla listens, adding a few mm-hmms and other such small, appropriate comments where necessary. But once she gets him going about this Newton Geiszler person, he just won’t stop. Each following week when they speak to each other, the topic often goes back to Newton. No matter how Hermann denies it, her brother is in love and it makes Karla both ecstatically happy and a bit jealous.</span>
</p><p>~</p><p>
  <span>A few years later, Karla is climbing out of the back of a taxi to attend a conference with Hermann. They haven’t seen each other much, and she misses him greatly. But more than that, he’s told her that Newton will be here as well, and this is the first time he will have seen the man he’s been writing, emailing, and texting with for nearly four years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A bag over her shoulder and briefcase in hand, Karla enters the large hotel that is attached to the convention center and gets herself settled in her room. She messages Hermann and lies back on the bed to wait for his response. She’s feeling a bit jet-lagged and also trying to remind herself not to be jealous when Newton ends up stealing a bunch of time from her and Hermann. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karla is woken up from her nap by the buzzing and ring of her phone. Snagging it and shoving it to her ear, she answers, “Hello?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve texted you no less than seven times and you still have not answered. Where are you?” Hermann’s voice comes through the phone, clearly agitated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In my room. I fell asleep.” Karla gets up and starts shoving her feet into her shoes, knowing her brother’s impatience could lead to him shouting in the middle of the hotel with abandon. Tact is not exactly his strongest point. “Where are you? I’m up, I’ll come meet you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hears him sigh. “I’m in the lobby. I’ve already put my stuff in my room, and I wanted to meet Newton before the conference actually starts. Come with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want me to intrude on your first meeting?” Karla grabs her keycard and a book, just in case. Then she heads out to the elevator to ride back down to the lobby, hoping she doesn’t lose Hermann on the way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, yes. You know how I am in person. I’m not sure I can do this,” he whispers heavily in the phone. She thinks his hand might be cupped around his mouth. “If you’re there you can head off any misunderstandings, explain that I’m a dunce at interpersonal, social interaction.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you’ve just done a great job at that yourself,” Karla laughs and steps out of the elevator when it dings open. She sees Hermann standing in an open lounge area, back to her. “I’m here,” she says and hangs up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turns, spots her, and hurries over. He’s always moved surprisingly fast with the cane. “Karla! Do hurry, please. He’s waiting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karla rolls her eyes but picks up her pace and the two of them walk down the sidewalk to the convention center. It’s early admittance, a few minor seminars underway for anyone who’s shown up a day before. They’re also getting people signed in properly and given their badges for the week. It’s surprisingly busy already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So where are you supposed to meet him? You </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> know what he looks like, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermann shoots her a glare and twists his cane in an annoyed habit he has. "Yes, we've exchanged photographs, social media, that mundane sort of triviality." His eyes go back to scanning the large foyer where the sign-in is stationed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, a shout sounds through the small crowd. "Hermann? Hermann, over here dude!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A short young man with wild hair and torn up jeans is jumping up and down, waving his hand as high as he can as he tries to break through a group of chattering college kids. Karla thinks he's cute, and is surprised that someone so...boyish? Energetically adorable? Nope, she retracts that as she sees Hermann stiffen with his eyes wide and a blush creeping over his face. Stuffy academic, meet handsome rebel and let the romance commence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Man, Karla needs to find herself a girlfriend while she's here. Hello any potential girlish, energetic rebels!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermann and Newton meet each other in an open area to the side, excitedly swaying in and out of each other's space as though some magnetic force is both drawing them in and shielding them from actually touching. Karla stands back just a little, putting on an air of giving them privacy. She holds her book a little tighter, ready to crack it open after Hermann introduces her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wow," she hears Newton say in a voice that's still high even without the shouting. It suits him. "You really do wear those old man clothes outside of school functions, don't you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karla bristles, but Hermann fires back, "I see you haven't </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite</span>
  </em>
  <span> run your feet through those ratty sneakers completely. Hopefully they'll be in enough tatters by the end of this that you'll retire them to the rubbish bin where they belong."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, Hermann is a man full of piss and vinegar. Karla has often been on the receiving end of his sass. But she hadn't expected to hear it here. She is not expecting the exchange that happens </span>
  <em>
    <span>at all</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ha!" Newton laughs forcefully. "Please, you must tell me which cobbler put those travesties together for you!" Newton points at Hermann's very nice dress shoes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermann clacks his cane and steps closer, putting a finger to Newton's chest. "Doctor Geiszler, I should like to think with all your surmounting degrees that you're ready to present our findings tomorrow? Please find some decency in yourself to dress as professionally as our paper is written. I will not abide a cheap performance after all of our hard work."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure," Newton says latching his fingers around Hermann's wrist. Karla sees them both pause, take shuddering breaths, and then descend further into madness. "So long as </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> put something on from this century so the crowd remembers this research is relevant and not something resuscitated from the fifties!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their shouting gets louder and louder and Karla tries to put herself between them. "Hey, hey!" She shouts and pushes at each of their shoulders. They turn on her in unison. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" They both snap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stop fighting!" She snaps back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just then, the woman at the desk calls her name and Karla is torn. She needs to collect her papers and badge, but she eyes Hermann to make sure he's okay. He shoos her and she nods, intent on being right back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karla shuffles to the table, signs a few things and shows proof of payment then is able to take her welcome packet and laminated badge. She clips it to her belt and spins around to find...nothing. Hermann and Newton are gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, what the hell?" She sighs and marches off to a bench. Sitting down, she tugs out her phone to find a text from Hermann.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Off for coffee. I'll see you tonight.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>It's short, blunt. He must be hurting over that horrible first meeting. Her heart aches for her brother's happiness, wondering if the two of them are just doomed to wander this earth alone, to toil at their work as their only partner. At least they have each other, she supposes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With nothing else to do, Karla heads into one of the little symposiums, even though this one isn't in her field and she doesn't understand most of it.</span>
</p><p>~</p><p>
  <span>Later that night, Karla picks up Indian food from a joint nearby. She takes it to her room and texts Hermann.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hey, I have food if you want some. Indian, your favorite.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She turns on the t.v. and watches some documentary on the Blue-Ringed Octopus, occasionally glancing at her phone for a response. She never gets one and eventually falls asleep as a man with a slow, monotonous voice talks about hunting patterns in the males of the species.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Karla thinks it's time to find Hermann and console him the best she can. She grabs coffee and donuts from a place around the corner and goes to Hermann's room. When she knocks, she hears shuffling behind the door. He must be emotionally exhausted if she was up first.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the door opens, she's met with a bleary-eyed Hermann with hair that is sticking up all over the place. He's also wrapped in a robe and she heavily suspects nothing else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you want?" His words are slightly slurred together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just wanted to say sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Whatever for?" He wakes at this, eyebrows knitting in concern. He's leaning heavily on the door, cane left behind in the room. "What's wrong Karla?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"About yesterday. It went so horribly and I was worried--"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermann pulls the door a little tighter on himself. "Horribly?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, with the arguing and all those mean things Newton said to you. I can kick his ass if you want me to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why in heaven's name would I want that?" Hermann looks very confused and there is a noise in the room, a squeaking on the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karla pushes the door open further, making Hermann stumble a bit. She looks in and finds Newton peering at her from the bed, blankets thinly draped over his clearly bare hips. The man squawks indignantly and yanks the blankets up over his head, trying to hide beneath them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh. Oh holy shit, Hermann you had sex with him?!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermann's whole body goes red and he's shoving her out of the room. "Out, out, get out!" He yells as he shoves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karla is devolving into a fit of laughter now, but she lets herself be escorted out into the hallway once more. "Meet me at lunch, will you?" She manages to yell just before the door snaps shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, perhaps she's misread something then.</span>
</p><p>~</p><p>
  <span>That day, Karla attends her medical symposiums, and they're interesting. They really are. But she's on the edge of her seat to speak with her brother again and get the full story of what happened yesterday. Clearly she has missed something important if her brother has slept with the man he had been arguing with only hours before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time twelve o'clock rolls around and the luncheon is open, Karla is vibrating. She hurries to the buffet room and looks for Hermann. She finds him sitting with Newton at a table off to one side. No one else is seated there even though seats are available, and it's clear why not. They look like they are arguing with each other again. Hermann is pointing down at a paper so aggressively, Karla is surprised he hasn't broken his finger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a confused sigh, she collects a plate of food and tentatively approaches. "Hi, Hermann. Is this a bad time?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" He looks up as though surprised to see he and Newton aren't the only two people in the world and then gestures at the open seat next to him. "Of course not. Please, sit. I should introduce you as it was carelessly forgotten yesterday." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karla sits, still a bit suspicious of this Newton character who seems to be yelling at her baby brother too much. "I'm Karla," she says and reaches across the table to shake his hand. "Hermmie's protective big sister "</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Newton takes her hand and then his whole body seems to dance with delight. "I'm sorry, did you say </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hermmie?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Oh, perfect dude. So, Hermmie--"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No!" Hermann shouts. "Absolutely not! Herms is bad enough. I cannot have you calling me that, too. I forbide it!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Forbide, huh? I don't think you can actually stop me, Doctor Hermmie Herms."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermann is red as a beet now. "Newton Geiszler, if you ever want me to grace your bed again--"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It was your bed."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"--then you'd better never, ever--"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And grace maybe isn't the right--"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"--call me that again. Do you understand?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"--but I'll definitely sleep with you again, so…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karla is ready to burst. Whatever this thing between them is, apparently it works for them. She cannot believe it, and she also finds she wants nothing to do with a talk about her brother's sex life. "Right, well Newton it was a pleasure. I believe I shall take my leave though, before these details make me lose my lunch." She pats Hermann on the shoulder and stands to find a new table. "Please text me. You owe me one dinner where you're not discussing you sex life, okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes yes, </span>
  <em>
    <span>liebchen</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I promise." He pats her hand and let's her go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karla shakes her head and looks around for a place to finish her meal. She catches eyes with a beautiful woman- long, black hair, deep brown skin, and shockingly green eyes. The woman smiles and tilts her head to the chair next to her. Karla gulps and heads over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hi," the woman croones in an accent Karla can't quite place. "I'm Vanessa. It's," she looks Karla up and down, "a real pleasure."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hi," Karla says back in a whisper. "I-I'm, um, I'm Karla Gottlieb." She sets her plate down and juts her hand out like an awkward idiot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vanessa laughs and takes it, shaking firmly. Vanessa is wearing converse shoes and a leather jacket, Karla notes. She also has a book on astrophysics under her other arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hello geeky rebel.</span>
</p>
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